Shepherd of Hermas — "Early Christian Text"

Brethren in Christ recognize the Shepherd of Hermas as a valued early Christian text from the second century, offering insights into early church practice and theology. However, it is not considered canonical Scripture. The text was sometimes quoted by early church fathers and valued for edification, but it was never universally accepted as Scripture and lacks apostolic authority.

For BIC, the Shepherd provides historical context for understanding post-apostolic Christianity, but doctrine and practice are grounded in the 27 New Testament books. The Anabaptist emphasis on sola scriptura—Scripture alone—means that later Christian writings, however edifying, do not carry the weight of apostolic witness.